9/11 Fund Is Quickly Running Out Of Money, And Advocates Are Gearing Up For A Tough Battle To Replenish It
Senate Republicans tried to kill the legislation in 2011, and Democrats and advocates are worried that this time they'll succeed. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he was “reviewing the legislation” and “we do not have any announcements at this time.”
The New York Times:
With Ground Zero Payments Slashed, A Push To Replenish A 9/11 Fund
It has been more than 17 years since the World Trade Center collapsed in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, and since 2011, a rededicated fund has compensated emergency personnel and others who responded to the scene and have since gotten sick, as well as the families of the deceased. But with medical claims on the rise, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is running out of money: Already, more than $5 billion of the $7.375 billion it was allotted in 2015 to give away over five years has been spent. (Goldmacher, 2/28)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Hill:
GOP Senator: Legislation Combating Surprise Medical Bills Could Come In March
A bipartisan group of senators working on legislation to stop patients from getting massive, surprise medical bills is hoping to release new legislation by the end of March, a senator says. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), one of the leaders of the effort, said Thursday that “our goal” is to release a new piece of legislation by the end of March. (Sullivan, 2/28)
